How to Remove the Windows 11 "System Requirements Not Met" Watermark

Steven

Apr 1, 2023

2 min read

Updated: Sep 27

If you installed Windows 11 on a computer that doesn't meet Microsoft's requirements, you've probably noticed a small watermark in the bottom-right corner above the clock: "System requirements not met. Go to Settings to learn more." It doesn't stop you from using Windows, but it's always there.

Windows 11 System requirements not met watermark — The watermark above the clock

Here's how to remove it, and what you should know first. Prefer video? Here's a short video walkthrough.

Why the Watermark Appears

Windows 11 requires newer processors, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. It can be installed on older hardware using workarounds, but Microsoft marks those computers as unsupported. The watermark is Microsoft's reminder, and unsupported computers aren't guaranteed to get future updates.

Before You Start

This only hides the watermark. It doesn't make your computer supported or change how updates work.
Editing the registry incorrectly can cause problems, so follow the steps exactly.
A future Windows update may bring the watermark back. If it does, just repeat these steps.

How to Remove the Watermark

Click Start, type Registry Editor, and choose Run as administrator.
Go to this location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\UnsupportedHardwareNotificationCache

UnsupportedHardwareNotificationCache in Registry Editor — The UnsupportedHardwareNotificationCache key

On the right, double-click SV1 and change the value from 1 to 0. If you also see SV2, change it to 0 as well.
Click OK.

Changing the SV1 value to 0 — Change the value to 0

Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.

After the restart, the watermark is gone:

Windows 11 desktop with the watermark removed — Watermark removed

If You Don't See the Key

If UnsupportedHardwareNotificationCache isn't in your registry, your version of Windows may handle the warning differently, or your computer may not be flagged. Check Settings > System to see whether Windows is showing a requirements message there.

A Few Words of Caution

Use this only to tidy up your own computer. It doesn't make an unsupported PC supported, and it shouldn't be used to hide the problem on a computer you're selling. If a PC is running Windows 11 unsupported, the buyer should know.

If your computer can't officially run Windows 11, it's worth planning ahead. Windows 10 support has ended, though home users can get security updates through Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program until October 2027. My Windows 10 activation guide covers those options.